The southern blue devil (''Paraplesiops meleagris'') is a species of fish in the longfin family

Plesiopidae The longfins, also known as roundheads or spiny basslets, are a family, Plesiopidae, which were formerly placed in the order Perciformes but are now regarded as being ''incertae sedis'' in the subseries Ovalentaria in the clade Percomorpha. They a ...

endemic to southern

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. It is a close relative of the

eastern blue devil ''Paraplesiops bleekeri'', commonly known as the eastern blue devil, blue-tipped long-fin or Bleeker's blue devil fish, is a species of fish in the family Plesiopidae. This colourful, secretive fish is endemic to Australia, where it is a protect ...

(''Paraplesiops bleekeri''), which lives in the coastal waters of eastern Australia, and of the

western blue devil The western blue devil (''Paraplesiops sinclairi'') is a species of fish in the longfin family Plesiopidae endemic to Western Australia. The fish is found in rocky reef habitats in the coastal, inshore waters of southwestern Western Australia, fr ...

(''P. sinclairi''), of southwestern

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...

with which it is sometimes considered conspecific.

Description

The fish grows to about 350 mm in length. It is generally deep blue, bluish, or blue-brown in colour with a scattering of brighter blue spots, with a long dorsal and large anal and pelvic fins.

Distribution and habitat

These fish are found along the southern Australian coastline, from

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...

to eastern

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

. They occupy reefs, ledges, crevices, and deep cave systems, at depths ranging from 3 to over 40 m, sometimes in small groups containing individuals of sizes varying from small juveniles to mature adults.

Behaviour

Breeding

Eggs are laid on a substrate and are guarded by the male until they hatch.

Feeding

They feed on fish and crustaceans.

References

External links

Fishes of Australia : ''Paraplesiops meleagris''
southern blue devil Marine fish of Southern Australia southern blue devil southern blue devil {{ray-finned fish-stub